Walsh throws pair of one-hitters vs. Skaneateles, Solvay

Holding itself to a high standard, the Westhill baseball team was not entirely pleased with its 2-1 league start, especially in light of an April 17 defeat to Phoenix.

But the Warriors felt a lot better after the ensuing week’s action, which included ace pitcher Ben Walsh twice throwing one-hit, complete-game efforts, the latter of them on three days’ rest.

It all started with last Monday’s 7-0 Westhill shutout of Skaneateles.A year earlier (almost to the day), Alex Godzak had no-hit the Lakers. Now Walsh attempted to do the same, navigating through six innings without surrendering a hit before Conor Herr reached safely in the top of the seventh.

It helped Walsh (who had nine strikeouts and only allowed two walks) that Westhill jumped on Skaneateles pitcher Luke Drancsak with five runs in the first two innings to take control.

Jim Albright’s two-run single in the bottom of the first put Westhill ahead 2-0, and J.C. Pena added to it in the second, tripling to drive home two more runs. All told, Pena had three hits, while Kevin Karleski managed a pair of hits and Bob Antonacci scored two runs.

In the make-up of a rained-out April 13 game against Chittenango, the Warriors took care of the Bears 10-3, getting all of its runs early as it scored twice in the first inning and chased starter Sean Cliff with eight runs in the bottom of the third.

Ben Walsh now starred at the plate, getting two hits and three RBIs. Karleski had a single, double and three runs scored. Pena and Antonacci each scored twice and drove in two runs, while Albright, Sam Walsh and Mike Burton all drove in single runs. Antonacci pitched four innings to earn the win, striking out four and giving up just four hits.

Then Westhill made it three wins in as many days by jumping all over Jordan-Elbridge Wednesday afternoon, putting up its largest run total of the season in rolling past the Eagles 18-3.